Clare Minor Camogie team will contest the All Ireland Minor semi final for their 3rd successive year following their defeat of Cork last night by the the minimum of margins on a scoreline of Clare 2-09 to Corks 3-04.
Clare travelled to Ballincollig having defeated Cork in May in the Munster Minor Final also by the minimum margin of a point.
Both teams defended extremely well and at the halfway mark of the first half Clare had registered 2 points to Corks lone point. Clare added another 2 points both from Sinead Tuohy, before Naomi Carroll got the opening goal of the match in the 25th minute, when a sideline cut from Niamh Corry which appeared to be drifting just wide of the goal, was pulled on superbly by Carroll and driven to the back of the Cork net.
Chloe Morey pointed from a free 2 mins later before Carroll added to her tally with a point from play, bringing the half time score to Clare 1-5, Cork 0-1. Cork got the ideal start to the second half with a point from Mariah Reidy in the first minute of play.
Cork, who would not have expected a scoreline as this, had obviously heard some harsh words during the half-time break as they were a rejuvenated team and were further buoyed up by a goal from Niamh Scanlon in the second minute of play.
Clare however did not panic and the backs worked extremely hard to contain Cork, Suzie O’Shea in particular who had already pulled off a couple of great saves in the first half doing the same again to keep Clare in front.
A rasper of a shot from Katrina Mackey in the 14th minute saw Cork level the match. Clare responded well and Morey put Clare in the lead again 4 minutes later with a point from a free. Both sides traded points for the next 10 minutes – Mackey and Aoife Kiely for Cork and Susan Fahy and Orlaith Duggan for Clare before Niamh Corry goaled again for Clare at the end of normal time.
Louise Woods tacked on another point seconds later having won the Cork puckout. Cork however were not letting go without a fight and responded with their 3rd goal of the night from Maeve Scannell and Mackey added another point. But it was to be Clare’s night and the Banner girls can now look forward to an All Ireland semi final spot on the 25th July. Clare manager John Carmody said after the game that he was delighted with the performance of the whole team who had certainly bounced back well after their defeat in the opening round the previous week.